Egyptian Pressure on Israel for Serious Engagement in Gaza Talks

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that "Minister Badr Abdel Atti requested from his American counterpart Antony Blinken during a phone call on Monday to pressure Israel to engage seriously in ceasefire talks in Gaza." The statement added that Abdel Atti "urged his American counterpart to pressure Israel to stop practicing a brinkmanship policy." In response, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on Monday that "the United States is sending messages through its diplomatic communications, urging certain countries to inform Iran that escalation in the Middle East is not in its interest." He also mentioned in a press conference that "U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Monday with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atti regarding the tensions in the Middle East."